This invention relates to a continuous-loop tape cartridge capable of running at high speeds. One application of the invention is to audio-recording, especially to a cartridge loaded with a master tape and used at a manufacturing station to record repeated audio programmes onto a length of tape subsequently to be divided up and put into respective cartridges or cassettes intended for use in customers' audio play-back machines. Another application of the invention is to cartridges of video tape.
A continuous-loop tape cartridge is known which comprises a housing within which a tape-pack carrier is mounted for free rotation. The carrier comprises a hub and a pack of tape is coiled around the hub. The hub is formed with a circumferential groove to enable the tape to be pulled from the innermost turn of the pack. In use the tape is pulled from the innermost turn, follows a fixed path within the cartridge and returns to the tape-pack as the outermost turn. In use, the tape-pack and the tape-pack carrier are caused to rotate by the action of pulling the tape, as described above, by a drive capstan acting directly on the tape. This known cartridge is limited as to the speed at which it can run: firstly difficulties arise at high speeds because of the high inertia and mass of the tape-pack carrier which it is necessary to rotate; secondly the tape undergoes an undesirable twisting as it leaves the innermost turn. In this and other known cartridges, the tape slides relative to surfaces, for example at the hub as it leaves the innermost turn, and large frictional forces are therefore liable to arise, particularly at high speeds.
It is an object of this invention to provide a tape cartridge for high speed running which avoids the above difficulties.